Circular-knitting machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. E. GBARHART. GIROULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 424,877. Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

\X/HcqEsses: U 0% No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. E. GEARHART. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

N0. 424,877. Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. GEARHART, OF WEST DECATUR, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,877, dated April1,1890.

Application filed November 13,1889. Serial No. 330,177. (No model.)

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. GEARHART, of West Decatur, in the countyof Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gircular-Knitting Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to rotary-knittingmachines; and the obj ects of myinvention are to operate the verticallymoving slide which operates theneedles by means of a crank upon the operating-shaft, and to turn thegrooved cylinder provided with teeth or cogs at its lower end by meansof the same operatingshaft, to operate the needles separately andtogether by means of a vertically-moving slide, which depresses theneedles one at a time and which raises a number of them together, and touse a spiral spring for drawing the Work down through the cylinder.

Figure 1 is atop view of a knitting-machine which embodies my invention.Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations taken at right angles to each other.Fig. 4. is a detached view of the operating-shaft and thevertically-moving slide. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the machine. Fig. 6is a detached perspective view of the spiral spring R.

A represents the frame in which the circular revolving grooved cylinderB is placed. This frame A may be of the construction here shown, or anyother that may be preferred, and is provided upon one side with the ear0, through which the screws are to be passed for the purpose of securingthe machine upon any suitable base provided therefor. The cylinder 13 isprovided on its outer surface with a longitudinal groove for eachneedle, in which groove it is held in the manner hereinafter described,and in which it has a free vertical movement.

Secured to the lower edge of the cylinder B is a crown-wheel E, the cogsupon the wheel being so arranged as to just correspond to the number andpositions of the grooves, as shown, so that when the cylinder is movedforward one tooth a needle will be brought into the proper position tobe drawn downward by the vertical slide. In order to prevent thecylinder from being moved either forward or backward, except whenoperated positively by the end of the operating-shaft, a friction-springF is used, and this spring bears against the outer edge of thecrown-wheel for the purpose of preventing any unnecessary movement.

Formed as a part of the baseA is the bearing G for the operating-shaftH, which is provided with a crank-handle at its outer end and crank Ijust inside of the bearing, and has its inner end J so shaped as to movethe cylinder B forward through the crown-wheel one tooth at a time.Rising above the bearing is avertical standard J, which has suitableguides formed upon opposite sides of its lower end and which forms asupport for the pivoted thread-carrier L. Moving in the guides of thestandard J is-the vertical slide or cam N, which is provided with a slot0, by means of which it is operated by the crank I, and which slide hasits upper end turned horizontally inward, so as to form the projectionP. Secured to the inner side of this slide N, below the projection P, isthe horizontal plate Q, which is long enough to raise one or more of theneedles each time the slide N moves upward. The projection P upon theupper end of the slide depresses a single needle each time that theslide N is depressed, and then as the slide is again raised the plate Qraises its set of needles. Just as the slide N is raised by the crankIto its highest position the end J of the operating-shaft moves thecylinder forward one cog, thus causing a newneedle to be presented tothe projection P for the purpose of being depressed. As above stated,each time that the slide N is raised it raises a set of the needles totheir highest point, and each time that it-is depressed one of theneedles is first depressed and then returned to its position again.Pivoted upon the upper end of the support J is the thread or yarncarrier L, which can be turned toward either the right or the left,according to the direction the cylinder is being turned. Placed insidethe cylinder is a spiral spring R, which is held in position at itslower end by a cross-bar S, and

which spring has attached to its upperend a circular plate a, which isprovided with hooks b, for catching in the work and exerting theneccssarytcnsion upon it. This spring serves to draw down the work asfast as it is formed, and does away with the weights and other similardevices which have heretofore been employed.

The needles are held in position in the cylinder by means of a wire ormetal band A, which is passed around the cylinder, and just above it isplaced a rubber or elastic band A", as shown. The elastic band serves toallow each of the needles a slight movement at its upper end when it israised to its highest point in the usual manner.

By depressing a single needle at a time the machine can be turnedbackward and operated with the same needle. lIeretofore other machineshave required to have a number of needles upon which to reverse themotion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of thegrooved cylinder provided with a wheel upon its lower end, anoperating-sh aft provided with a crank for moving the slide and havingits inner end so shaped as to engage with the teeth of the wheel, andthe slide having the plate Q, and extending inward at its upper end, soas to raise and depress the needles, substantially as set forth.

2. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a vertically-moving slideprovided with a projection at its upper end and a horizontal plate belowthe projection, the cylinder, the

needles, mechanism for raising and lowering the slide which operates theneedles, and means for revolving the cylinder, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of a revolving cylinder in a circular-knittingmachine, with a spiral spring and hooks connected thereto at its upperend for engaging with the work, and a crossbar for catching against thebase of the machine, substantially as shown.

4:- The combination, with the grooved cylinder, a crown-wheel applied toits lower end, and a reciprocating slide, of a single operatingshaftbent into the form of a crank, whereby the bent portion engages andoperates the slide, and its inner end engages the crown-wheel forrevolving the cylinder as the shaft is turned, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I ai'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH E. GEARIIAR'I.

\Vitnesses:

A. S. AMMERMAN, JOSEPH BREssLER.

